The Complete Rifle Lineup

Objective:

Six months after the launch of our first campaign with Savage, they came to us with another intent. A new brand strategy strove to accomplish two goals, and they needed help rolling this out to their network of sales associates, hunting guides and other word-of-mouth experts.  

First, they wanted to showcase their broad range of firearms and help increase the perception that they provided something for any shooter, regardless of experience level or use case.

Second, the brand wanted to be seen as helpful, knowledgeable and approachable — the archetypal wise, experienced hunting guide, on call to offer the perfect bit of advice or recommendation when you need it.

Strategy:

Shortly before kicking off this project, Savage signed veteran competitive shooter and YouTube personality Patrick E. Kelley to be a brand ambassador. Patrick has a reputation for hard-hitting, no-fluff rifle reviews and complete honesty. Anyone that has seen his videos knows that he suffers no fools, and has no problem being honest about a product’s flaws or strengths. His quirky, humorous personality made him a lock for the “approachable” characteristic the brand was looking for, and no one could question his competency or overall firearms knowledge. We had found the perfect face for this campaign.

The first story (of two) we did introduced Savage for what it was — a 125-year-old rifle manufacturer with a broad range of well-designed firearms trusted by hunters and shooters of all experience levels and for all purposes. If they had seen our past shooting test with Stan Pate, they would know that the brand adage “Accuracy Out of the Box” was no joke. 

It also introduced Patrick and offered background, stats and quotes to support the brand’s overall vision. Among these quotes:

“Savage really has taken to heart the changes and recommendations I’ve tried to offer. I hear that my feedback is the subject of many a board meeting,” he jokes. “And they love it. I think I’m really going to have a positive influence on some of the products they make, and I’ll be able to say ‘Yes! This is fantastic in every way, because I helped them do that.’” 

For the second lesson, we chose to simulate a one-on-one discussion between Patrick and a shooter — allowing Patrick to ask questions and offer feedback, and eventually help choose the perfect Savage rifle for that person’s experience level and intended use.

This interactive “choose-your-own-adventure”-style experience provided a tailored recommendation for the individual, but also demonstrated a wide range of firearms and helped generate an affable, trusting relationship with the brand.